China's 'Air Conditioner' Vests and Hats Keep Sanitation Workers Cool Amid Extreme Heat

China is developing products to help lower body temperature amid a drastic rise in heat. Some of these innovations are helping sanitation workers stay cool during long working hours.

Air-conditioned vests have been distributed to ‘orange troops’ tasked with cleaning roads in Nanjing, China. The orange vests look similar to regular ones, but CCTV reported that they are equipped with small fans on each side.

A portable power bank powers each fan. An early user, Zhu Wenxian, said the vest is very useful for reducing heat stress. Even though the fans are only located at the waist, the vest can cool the upper body.

More than 20 cooling vests were distributed in Nanjing’s Xuanwu District at the start of the ‘sanfu’ period, the hottest days of the year. Many social media users praised the workwear and called for it to be rolled out nationwide.

Meanwhile, Shenzhen-based company Carbon-Based has developed several items to reduce heat, including vests, neck rings, and hats. Company representative Li Rui explained that the technology relies on phase-change materials that absorb heat and release it when the temperature drops. This method is effective in preventing excessive cooling that could cause health issues.

The Nanjing City Management Bureau is promoting the air-conditioned vests across the city to provide them to more sanitation workers. In Sichuan province, an ‘air-conditioned hat’ has also been developed. The product can control internal temperature down to 28.4 degrees Celsius through adjustments in material and structure. The research team designed it to control sunlight reflection and thermal radiation, generating cool air without using electricity.